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Aisling Sturbridge
Category:Vampire: The Masquerade Sturbridge, Aisling Sturbridge, Aisling Lady Aisling Sturbridge - Tremere and High Regent of the Chantry of the Five Boroughs. Background: Aisling was born in 1890 in upstate New York to a banker and his wife. Her mother died when Aisling was two, and her father chose to let his daughter run like a hoyden with her brothers rather than endure his wife's meddling relations' attempts to raise her. During this long period of freedom, Aisling gravitated toward mysticism through her Catholic upbringing and studied whatever she believed would be necessary to learn more. She taught herself Latin and Greek to read occult texts from the church library (she persuaded her elder brother to borrow books for her). Aside from reading, she attended séances and corresponded with a number of occultists, many of whom had little idea they were communicating with a teenaged girl. When her mother's family finally got wind that Aisling was accepting an invitation into an “Enlightened Society”; or somesuch, they put their collective foot down and ordered her to finishing school. Aisling instead took her trust fund and abandoned Victorian America for the decadence of London. In turn-of-the-century London, Aisling inserted herself into the occult scene, and her remarkable scholarship attracted many eyes, including those of Aleister Crowley. Her brilliance did not go unnoticed by others; her sire-to-be, Lucien de Maupassant, met her during a seance salon, and the two became close confidants. In 1910, Crowley, apparently embittered that a girl so many years his junior was outstripping him in the Hermetic mysteries and attracting far more attention by her scholarship, requested that Aisling become his next Scarlet Woman. In essence, it was a demand that she submit to rape. Lucien, already considering Aisling as potential progeny, took her away from London and Crowley's grasp, and on an extended tour of Europe and the Middle East to secretly test her fitness as a Tremere. When he was satisfied, he brought her to Vienna for the Embrace and to meet the rest of the clan. For the next 30 years or so, the pair served as free agents, delivering messages between chantries, building chantry libraries and investigating on Inner Council orders. World War II separated them for long periods as Aisling tended the chantries in Nuremberg, Warsaw, Krakow and Dresden. Her friends in high places often could not decide what to do with her; on one hand, her questioning of the Tremere's role with the Nazi regime was intolerable to her superiors, but on the other, her work during air raids to preserve the treasures of embattled chantries was faultless. In 1948, her sire and longtime companion abruptly went missing during an assignment supposedly given him by the Inner Council. According to certain upper-level gossips, it was Meerlinda who turned the young woman's talents to America, with that it might distract her. Aisling's commentaries on the McCarthy hearings and the Age of Aquarius remain among the definitive studies on the periods, both in and out of clan. Certain that she would have felt or heard of Lucien's destruction, she continues to search for word of him even now. Aisling's last city of residence was Atlanta, where she served the regent as his assistant before she was abruptly called to New York. She was field-promoted to her current position after someone spread her predecessor's ashes across Sheepshead Bay (see A World of Darkness Second Edition). As lieutenant, and by popular accord, she ascended to the Regency in November of 1996. Aisling is eminently qualified to serve in New York for a number of reasons. Her intense study of the Tzimisce, time spent in Eastern Europe, and fluent command of Hungarian make her an excellent foil against the Fiends. Her years in Europe during WW II proved that she can handle herself under fire and that she is resourceful. She is young enough to be expendable to the upper echelons, but old enough to be taken seriously by the rank and file. Unlike most of her contemporaries, she does not mindlessly despise the Sabbat; she has a specific list of crimes that she holds against them and fights them for. She is well aware of the old saw that persons who hate their enemies without reason become like their enemies, and she watches herself carefully to avoid that path. Recently, some of the higher ranks have begun to watch her with growing concern. She is one of the most dynamic and popular regents, and she has a number of high-placed friends in and out of the clan. She has shown no qualms about deal-making with other Kindred for assistance, eschewing much of the traditional Tremere insularity. And so far, she has managed to avoid becoming completely blood bound to the Council (some fear that her early Embrace ties have seriously atrophied due to her long time as a free agent). Were she to win the war with the Sabbat, these tradition-minded Tremere fear she might be named lord, something they hope to prevent at any cost - perhaps even the war's outcome. Aisling has medium-to-dark brown shoulder-length hair, always pulled away from her face. Her deep-set eyes are a startling storm-gray hue. She has always taken pains to hide her more feminine aspects and prefers men's clothing tailored to accommodate the Kevlar vest she wears in the field; recently, though, a few of her apprentices have begun to encourage her toward a more Agent Scully-ish look. On evenings “out” she wears a flak jacket over her regular clothes. When studying, she wears round, antique magnifying spectacles. Her hands are nearly always gloved, and on her left ring finger, she wears an antique gold band engraved with the word “faith”: ---- ' Roleplaying Hints:' Assume nothing. You have others you trust, but you trust them only so far. You wield an inquisitive mind that takes nothing for granted, even the “truth” given to you by your superiors. You work any task you set yourself until it is done to your satisfaction, by whatever means necessary. You take something from every task you have, be it information, an out-of-clan alliance or simply experience. You are well aware that you're being watched by others who fear your methods, and you're always ready with justification. Every barrier you encounter to your work is either something to be hammered at or sneaked around, never a deterrent. Pursue any word about Lucien to its end. Clan: Tremere Sire: Lucien de Maupassant Nature: Deviant Demeanor: Traditionalist Generation: 10th Embrace: 1911 Apparent Age: mid-20s Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4 Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3 Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 3 Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 3, Dodge 5, Empathy 2, Intimidation 2, Leadership 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 4 Skills: Disguise 3, Drive 1, Etiquette 3, Firearms 3, Melee 2, Security 1, Stealth 3, Survival 1 Knowledges: Academics 4, Bureaucracy 2, Camarilla Lore 3, Clan Knowledge (Tremere) 3, Computer 1, History 3, Investigation 4, Law 1, Linguistics (Arabic, Cantonese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Portuguese, Romany, Sanskrit, Spanish, Yiddish) 5, Occult 5, Politics 2, Sabbat Lore 3, Science 2 Disciplines: Auspex 5, Celerity 2, Dominate 3, Fortitude 2, Obfuscate 2, Thaumaturgy 5 Thaumaturgical Paths: Path of Blood 5, Movement of the Mind 5, Lure of Flames 4, Elemental Mastery 3, Countermagic 2, Spirit Manipulation 2 Backgrounds: Allies 4, Contacts 2, Influence 3, Mentor 5, Resources 4, Status 2 Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 4, Courage 4 Morality: Humanity 7 Willpower: 9 Merits/ Flaws: Time Sense, Natural Linguist